Empty Bowls is a fundraiser that supports food security in Northwest Michigan. Proceeds will be used to purchase healthy produce and protein from local farms for distribution to the Northwest Food Coalition's 75+ food pantries and emergency meal sites. Event attendees will receive a handmade artisan bowl to take home along with a simple lunch of soup and bread and fellowship with other community members who support our cause.
Empty Bowls is an internationally trademarked event that began in Southeast Michigan as an art teacher's vision to bring art and community together. He wanted his students to participate in a local food drive so his students created bowls, invited faculty to enjoy a meal of soup, and requested donations for the food drive. After the soup was served, they talked about how the students and staff were not hungry because they had just eaten, but many people in their community had empty bowls and were hungry. Faculty were invited to choose one of the handcrafted bowls to take home as a reminder of those less fortunate.
This year's event will showcase the connection between Empty Bowls and the artist community here in Northern Michigan with the theme Artful Hearts...brushing away hunger. There will art for sale, a painting demonstration, a Caricaturist, a kid's art table, native American art and more. Michael Sincic, a blind watercolor artists will be speaking. Same as last year, we will have clay and wood bowl making demonstrations and the popular Buy It Now table with Mystery Boxes and more bowls for sale. There will also be several new restaurants showcasing their best soup!
The Northwest Food Coalition is comprised of over 75 food pantries and emergency meal sites. Our partners include the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency, Goodwill Food Rescue, The MIchigan State University Extension, and The Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities. In 2022, the Coalition purchased almost 115,000 pounds of 32 types of fresh produce and protein from 18 local farms for distribution to our sites.
Find out more at: https://northwestmifoodcoalition.org/2023-empty-bowl/
